Dorothy's Friends
by Sekhmet700
Summary: After her companions have been transformed into humans, Dorothy finds she must choose between a brain, a heart, and courage. Which will it be?


**Setting:** A week after the four companions defeated the Wicked Witch of the West and after the false Wizard has escaped in his balloon. They are leaving the Emerald City, having been sent by Ozma to the intersection of the Yellow and Blue-Bricked Roads to decide their fates. She has unexpectedly granted Dorothy's friends their wish to become human. In Earth time it is 1992 so imagine that Dorothy is about 17-18 years old and very much grunge.

**Human!**

A flash of green light as bright as the sun...then all was darkness. Or, at least, Dorothy thought it was dark, but when she slowly regained her vision bit by bit, she was able to see through the ubiquitous vapours the figures of her three friends lying on the ground. She immediately rushed through the fog to where Scarecrow lied, but when she was able to see him clearly she saw that he was naked. And not only that – he was human! His skin was no longer the coarse weaving of a potato sack, but rather a smooth olive brown as though it had been tanned in the fields. His hair was no longer made of straw, but was instead a mass of pale, cornflower blonde whose various locks strayed over his eyes. He groaned and rose up shakily, but Dorothy did not think to help him for she was rooted to the spot in amazement.

All she could do was exclaim, "Oh my goodness, Scarecrow, you're human!"

He blinked a couple of times, seemingly deaf to her voice. His deep brown eyes, the color of fertile soil, focused on his hands and widened in amazement.

"What? I'm human? Haha! I'm actually human!" he said. "Dorothy, Ozma really did keep her word!"

Just then, two more groans were heard through the thinning mist, and Dorothy saw her other two friends stand up and come to the same conclusion as Scarecrow: that they, too, had been changed into humans.

Tinman was the first to speak, though his voice was quiet with awe, "This is amazing," he said as he involuntarily put his hand on his breast. "Dorothy, I can feel my heart beat. Can you?"

He approached her and eagerly guided her small hand over his heart. She looked into his eyes, which were a steely gray, and he smiled at her when she felt his rapidly beating heart beneath her fingers.

All she could say was, "Yes. It does beat."

Tinman looked decidedly different from Scarecrow, though they were both decidedly tall and well formed – slender but muscular as well. However, Tinman had pale skin and raven black, shoulder length hair as smooth as polished silver. His high cheekbones framed his fair face handsomely and his crescent-shaped gray eyes almost disappeared when he smiled. But then, out of the corner of her eye, Dorothy espied Lion collapse to his knees and hunch his back in a sunken manner. He was staring at his hands.

"My claws," he lamented. "They're gone."

Tinman's smile disappeared and Scarecrow furrowed his brows in concern, though it was Dorothy who finally came out of her shock and knelt beside him, putting her hand on his back in a gesture of comfort. She caught his glance, which consisted of a pair of piercing, jade green eyes set in a ruddy, well-chiseled, still rather leonine face. He had a short blonde beard on his chin and his wild, loosely curled hair hung down his back in spiral waves of gold, dark blonde, and brown. He was built stronger and larger than the other two, though his muscles and size stood in stark contrast to his current distressed mental state. Perhaps out of the three he had the most to lose, for he had no claws, no tail, and no roar. Having never been an effigy of a human, he had suddenly become a real one in an instant, which must have come as quite a shock. All these thoughts were certainly taking a toll on his emotions and Dorothy sensed this.

"Lion," she said softly, "It's alright. Listen to me: nothing's wrong. You're fine and so are they."

He said to her, "I guess I didn't think things through when I wished for humanity. I suppose I thought things would stay the same. I should've asked Scarecrow to think for me."

"C'mon, Lion," said Scarecrow. "Don't talk like that. Be brave."

He extended a hand to Lion to help him up. Lion looked up at him, unsure what to do – get up or lie down and waste away. He looked at Dorothy, who kissed his cheek. Well, that was encouragement enough and it brought newfound color to Lion's cheeks. He extended a hand to his comrade's and pulled himself up in one deft move, causing the lanky Scarecrow to stagger slightly and find a better foothold. Tinman noticed Dorothy was awkwardly trying to avert her eyes from all three of them, so, of course, they gathered around her in curiosity and tried to meet her eye.

"Dorothy," Tinman said, bending his head in an attempt to make eye contact. "Why are you looking at the ground?"

"Yeah, Dorothy," Scarecrow said. "What's wrong?"

"Well," she said, looking up and away, "You're not wearing any clothes."

"So?" Lion said cluelessly.

"Well, humans wear clothes," replied Dorothy.

"That's right," Scarecrow concurred. "Even when I was a straw man instead of a real man I still wore clothes, although they seem to have disappeared somewhere."

"I can't say I've ever found them necessary," reflected Tinman. "Although, I've also never been affected by the weather or changes in temperature."

"I don't need them, Dorothy," Lion declared. "So don't worry about trying to find me any. I may not have fur anymore, but I certainly don't need fake fur draped over me like a blanket on a horse."

"You can't just walk around naked!" Dorothy said, scandalized.

"Sure I can," he retorted. "There are no laws in Oz against a lion not wearing clothes."

"You fool," Scarecrow butted in. "You're not a lion anymore."

"I'm a lion at heart," Lion replied defiantly.

"Dorothy's right," Tinman said. "We have to wear clothing. You'll find out why when night comes and you start to shiver."

"Uncontrollably," Scarecrow added with a smirk.

"Wait a minute," Lion said. "Why should we? I've only ever seen a few humans in my life and they've all been women. How do I know it's not just the females who wear clothes?"

"That's preposterous!" Scarecrow shouted.

Tinman concurred, "That does seem a little far-fetched, Lion."

"Dorothy," Lion said, turning to her in a last-ditch effort at entreaty, "Does it really matter to you whether or not I wear clothes?"

She paused. Never in her seventeen years of existence had Dorothy ever thought that a full-grown, well-built, handsome man would stand before her, innocently shameless, with arms open in anticipation of her answer as to whether or not it was appropriate for him to sport pants in her presence. This day had gone from strange to farcical in a matter of minutes, causing Dorothy's mouth to betray her propriety and crack into an ill-concealed grin. Lion opened his arms wider, impatient for an answer.

"What?" he said. "Why are you smiling, Dorothy? You're making me nervous. What did I say?"

She began to giggle. Scarecrow and Tinman looked at each other and, sensing the absurdity, smiled as well. Suddenly, when Dorothy glanced down, she noticed something had grown, causing her to utter a quiet gasp and avert her eyes. Scarecrow and Tinman burst into uproarious laughter and Lion looked down at himself, finally seeing what all the commotion was about. He turned scarlet and turned his back to everyone.

He said, "Yes, ha ha, laugh it up, you two."

Tears came to his friends' eyes before their revelry calmed down a bit.

Scarecrow remarked, "Well, at least you proved that you still have that animal instinct, Lion."

Lion whirled around, clenched his fists, and walked towards Scarecrow, saying, "Scarecrow, so help me I –"

Dorothy intercepted Lion and put her hands on his shoulders as if to hold him back, saying, "Alright, calm down. Now, let's all try to find some clothes for you three," then she muttered to herself, "I hope no one sees us on the road."

**The Crossroads**

As the four friends walked down that familiar yellow road the few passersby who happened upon them had one of two reactions to the male members of the group: they either looked away and pretended nothing was there, or they burst out laughing and threw a random article of clothing to them. It was the darnedest bit of luck, for after about the fifth encounter, all three had acquired a pair of pants, a shirt, and even a couple of hats. Lion scoffed at his shirt and hat, tying the former around his waist and putting the latter on Dorothy's head. It was a wide-brimmed, red floppy hat that on anyone else would have looked ridiculous, but on Dorothy looked downright adorable.

They stopped to rest under a shady grove of trees (not the apple-throwing kind) and surveyed each other's wardrobe. Someone had thrown Scarecrow an old, patched flannel shirt and a pair of ripped, baggy jeans that were slightly too big for him. Tinman had received a red t-shirt and black jeans that were slightly too tight for him, though he pulled off the look gracefully enough. Having eschewed his shirt, Lion's only clothes were a pair of dark brown, corduroy shorts that ended mid-thigh and were frayed at the edges. None of the three wore any shoes. Tinman's hat was a black beanie and Scarecrow's was a ratty knit cap that looked like an oversized mushroom top.

Dorothy plopped down on the grass and lied down. Scarecrow and Tinman sat down and Lion lied back with his hands behind his head and one knee casually bent.

"Well?" Dorothy said. "How are you new clothes?"

"Just like the old ones," Scarecrow said.

"Er, constricting," Tinman said as he squirmed, trying to find a comfortable position.

"Not as bad as I thought," Lion said contentedly.

"That's because you're barely wearing anything," Scarecrow interjected.

"True," Lion conceded. "But this is enough, right Dorothy?"

"Um, I supposed so," she admitted.

"Ha! You see?" Lion turned to Scarecrow. "I'm a regular human now."

A pause.

"So now where do we go?" Tinman finally said.

Dorothy said, "Well, Ozma said we should go to the intersection of the Yellow and Blue-Bricked Roads. Then she said to wait there for a sign."

"What kind of a sign?" asked Scarecrow.

"She didn't really say too clearly. She just said to wait."

"Which way is which?" asked Lion. "Are we going in the right direction?"

"You should know," said Scarecrow. "You're a hunter."

"I don't hunt roads."

"No kidding. But can't you tell by scent which way things are?"

"Am I a lion or a human?!" Lion burst out. "Pick one!"

"You're neither," Scarecrow said calmly.

"Why, I oughtta –"

"Stop it!" Tinman said. "Scarecrow, quit pestering Lion. Lion, stop threatening Scarecrow."

"You know," Dorothy said pensively, having ignored their squabbling, "It doesn't really make sense for your names to be the things you aren't anymore. Perhaps you should choose new ones. I mean, it's silly to call Lion "lion" when he clearly isn't one."

"Dorothy's right," Lion said, rising to his feet. "So I'm naming myself Leo, because though I'm a human, I'm still a lion at heart."

"Haha, that's true!" said Dorothy, delighted. "Hello, Leo!"

"Hello, Dorothy," he said, bending over and kissing her hand.

His eyes never escaped from her gaze, which sent a shiver down her spine.

Tinman said, "I think I would like to be called Tim. I know it's not grand or anything, but I've always fancied it."

"Hello, Tim," Dorothy said.

He leaned forward and kissed her cheek, which caused another shiver to run down her spine.

But when it was Scarecrow's turn to speak he said, "I don't know what to call myself."

"You don't have any idea?" Dorothy asked.

He sighed, paused, then said thoughtfully, "Ever since I can remember, I've never had a name. The farmer who put me up on the post never thought to give me one because I was only made of straw – not a real human. He and his family would pass me by on the road and I remembered each and every one by the names that they were given. I felt left out, silly though that may have been, since I was just a straw man, but nevertheless I still wanted a name of my own. And now I can't think of any, though my head is no longer filled with hay. Dorothy, will you name me?"

"I don't know. I-I've never named anyone before. Although…let me think…hm."

Silence.

"Wait! I got it!" she said. "What was the farmer's name? Do you remember?"

"Gale."

"Gale?" Tinman said. "But that's a woman's–"

A sharp look from Dorothy cut him off.

Dorothy said, "Then Gale it is! Hello, Gale."

"Hello, Dorothy," he said, so overcome with emotion that he kissed her lips, causing the third shiver of the day to shoot down her back.

She was confused. What was happening? Why was she all of a sudden growing giddy at the attentions of her three friends? This never happened before. She noticed all three were looking at her, each with an expression of tranquility and, dare I say, love. She smiled dumbly because she realized, as though for the first time, that these were men and not just a group of simple fairytale characters.

"Let's keep going," she said, breaking the silence.

It was late afternoon by the time they reached the crossroads. The middle of the intersection was paved with neither yellow nor blue bricks, but with green ones – Ozma's signature emerald. There was nothing there except a four-way road sign directing travelers to The Emerald City in the North, Munchkinland in the East, the Wicked Witch's castle in the West, and the Land of the China People in the South.

"So now we wait?" Tim asked.

"I suppose so," Gale responded, running a hand through his tousled hair.

"Did Ozma say what kind of sign would show up?" asked Leo.

"Well, she did say it would be immediately recognizable as something coming from her."

"Maybe it'll be green," Tim suggested.

"Like that?" Gale said, pointing towards the southern sky.

The other three turned their heads in the same direction to see what he was pointing at. They soon beheld a large bubble descending from the sky. It resembled Glinda's except that it was green instead of pink, and when it landed it disappeared to reveal a woman dressed in a shining emerald gown. Her skin was as white as snow and her hair was black as coal, and her eyes were a piercing green. She had a lofty yet peaceful expression and when she spoke her voice was deep and sonorous.

"My friends," she said, "I am Gelda the Good Witch of the South. Ozma has sent me here to guide you on what will be a far longer and more perilous journey than your previous one."

"Another journey?" Dorothy said, disappointed.

She had been hoping to go home sooner rather than later.

Sensing this, Gelda said, "I know what desire you have in your heart, Dorothy. My sister Glinda told me all about it. But do not worry, for after this task you will come forth with a far greater knowledge and understanding of yourself and of your friends."

Dorothy and her friends glanced at each other and Gelda continued, "There is a disturbance in the Land of Oz, more of which I cannot say, for Ozma's view is clouded and my magic cannot penetrate through the mystery. So go forth and leave no path untread and no question unanswered."

"Is that all?" Dorothy asked confused. "Couldn't you give us some more clues?"

"I could not," was the reply. "Now head south, the four of you, and find that which you seek. I will be watching, so do not fear."

Then, in an instant, Gelda disappeared in her bubble and floated away, leaving the four perplexed friends standing alone in the middle of the road.

"Go south?" said Leo after an awed pause. "The sign says it's the Land of the China People. Who are the China People?"

Gale retorted, "People who are made out of china."

"No kidding, brain man," Leo growled.

"Okay, let's not fight right at the beginning!" Dorothy said.

Then, without thinking, she took Tim's hand and they both walked on ahead of the other two. Gale and Leo were silenced by her choice of walking partner and sulked behind. They all walked for what seemed like miles and Dorothy did eventually begin to tire and slow her pace. Perceiving this, Leo grabbed the opportunity to come up behind her and pick her up in his strong arms.

"Oh!" Dorothy cried. "Thank you, Leo! I guess I do need a rest."

Proud of himself, he held his head high as the group continued down the never-ending yellow road. After a while Gale noticed Dorothy's face begin to reveal the tell-tale signs of boredom. So, walking silently up behind Leo and looking around his arm to where Dorothy's head rested, he commenced telling her clever jokes and riddles, thus bringing a sparkle of joy to her large brown eyes. He and Dorothy then began to talk about farming – a subject about which the former tin woodsman and lion could not even begin to comprehend. This caused Tim and Leo to blush red with envy of Gale.

Dorothy said, "Alright Leo, you can put me down now. I want to talk to Gale."

Leo reluctantly did as he was told, setting her lightly down so that her silver slippers barely made a sound upon the pavement. Now Leo walked with Tim while the other two trailed behind, engrossed in whatever the hell it was they were talking about. Probably stupid corn.

Leo said in a hushed voice to Tim, "What does she see in him, anyway? I don't get it."

"Well, they do have a lot in common," Tim said, trying to be diplomatic while concealing his heartache.

"He's not even that smart."

"Intelligence is in the mind…of the…beholder?" Tim's unsure voice wavered.

"I think I'm in love with her," Leo declared abruptly.

This caused Tim to raise a dark eyebrow and say, "Are you sure you know what love is?"

"Of course I do! You didn't know what it was before the Wizard gave you a heart."

"He told me I had one all along."

"He told us a lot of things. But remember that he was a first-class liar and imposter."

"I know," Tim said quietly with an air of defeat.

A pause.

"Hey, Tim?" Leo said.

"Yes?"

"Do you also love Dorothy?"

Tim didn't want to answer. He didn't wish to reveal what lay deep inside his heart, especially not to a rival – a much stronger and rather volatile rival.

He said in a low voice, "I can't say."

Seemingly satisfied with this enigmatic answer, Leo said nothing else, leaving Tim to his melancholy thoughts. When it had come time for the sun to set, the four companions happened upon an old abandoned shed tucked away in a group of trees off the side of the road. This really was a stroke of luck, and they agreed that it must have been Gelda helping them. When they entered they saw four palettes and four pillows spread out on the floor.

"Wow, this is perfect!" Dorothy said. "I think I'll sleep on the far left one."

Naturally, the three men dived for the bed right next to it in an unceremonious rush. They shoved and pushed each other, each man trying to oust the other two from the prized spot. By the time they had stopped it looked like they were practically lying on top of each other, causing Dorothy to roll her eyes. She couldn't help but laugh.

"You guys, tomorrow is another night. Maybe you could take turns."

Seeing as how Leo was the most insistent, and to keep him from thrashing the other two, Dorothy chose him to be her bedfellow. Tim and Gale disappointedly took the other two palettes and in a matter of seconds all four were in a deep sleep. As the night wore on, each friend began to toss and turn, though still asleep, yet as if bad dreams were abundant and disturbing the peace of a good night's slumber.

They had all moved around so much that when Dorothy awoke she found herself curled up in a ball with her arms wrapped around Leo's midsection and her head resting on his chest. She looked around and saw that Gale had managed to turn completely around so that his head was at the foot of the palette and his feet rested on his pillow. He was clinging to Tim's leg. Tim's blanket completely covered the upper half of his body, face and all, and when Dorothy looked at Leo, she noticed his hand resting on the inside of Gale's thigh. This caused her to snigger as she extricated herself from her living pillow. Leo stirred with her movement and she giggled anew when she saw him realize where is hand was and jerk it away in disgust. This, of course, woke Gale up rather abruptly and he accidentally kicked Tim in the head.

Tim groaned and sat up, his blanket falling off his head to reveal various chunks of his hair standing up in a tangled mess. Gale rubbed his eyes, which had dark circles under them, and when Leo tried to speak his voice sounded so hoarse that he decided it was better to keep silent. Dorothy didn't look disheveled, though, but she seemed troubled.

Tim sensed this and said, "Dorothy, what's wrong?"

About to answer, she let out a peal of laughter when she saw his madman hair, instead exclaiming, "Haha! Tim, I'm sorry, but your hair is ridiculous!"

He smiled sheepishly and tried to smooth it down, but to no avail. The other two smiled.

Gale said, "I didn't sleep well."

"We can tell," Leo croaked, immediately shutting his mouth after hearing his voice.

"Gale, you have dark circles under your eyes," Dorothy said concerned. "Are you alright?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. How did you sleep, Dorothy?"

"Alright, I guess. Though I think I must not have had very good dreams. I tossed and turned so much that I woke up practically on top of Leo."

Leo looked at her and grinned. He could feel the jealousy emanating from the other two like fire from an open stove, and he relished it.

**The Land of the China People**

They set off again, but on this day they finally noticed the landscape slowly begin to change. The characteristic green rolling hills of Oz gave way to flat stretches of beige and brown grass whose monotony was occasionally broken up by dark streams bubbling and babbling past them. The only trees that could be seen were dark and withered ones that completely lacked leaves or fruit. The sky was gray and cloudy as though it were about to rain and a stiff breeze rolled over the grass, making waves as though the ground were alive.

"I've heard about them," Gale said out of the blue.

"About whom?" Dorothy asked.

"The China People. I heard they weren't born that way, but that they were turned into china and banished far to the south as a sort of punishment."

"Like for doing evil deeds?" asked Tim.

"Not necessarily evil deeds," replied Gale, "But because they made someone mad."

"That's strange," said Dorothy. "It must have been someone really powerful to have been able to do something like that. Do you think it was the Wicked Witch?"

"Which witch?" asked Leo, his voice having cleared up.

"The one Dorothy melted last week," Gale retorted snidely.

"Well how was I supposed to know which one?" Leo fired back.

"Because she was more powerful than the other one!"

"No one told me that."

"That's because you never thought to ask, you oaf."

"Listen, you scrawny pipsqueak," Leo growled, "Ever since we became human you've been on my case. I ought to pummel you. If I only had my claws."

"If you only had a brain –"

Leo lunged at Gale and began to do exactly what he said he would, giving the latter a split lip and bloody nose in the process. Dorothy and Tim grabbed either one of Leo's arms and, with much difficulty, pried him off Gale. Gale staggered to his feet, pinching his nose to stop the bleeding. Having been yanked far enough away from Gale, Leo calmed down a bit and leaned against a black, gnarled tree, turning his back to everyone. Meanwhile, Dorothy turned to Gale.

"Oh my gosh, Gale, are you alright?" she asked worriedly. "Oh, somehow I think this is my fault."

"Oh, Dorothy, no it isn't," Gale said waving his hand in dismissal. "It was bound to happen sooner or later. I guess I kind of had it coming."

"You can say that again," muttered Tim.

Dorothy cautiously approached Leo and tried to meet his gaze. He was looking down.

"Leo, are you alright?" she asked quietly.

"No," he said, still not looking up.

"Why not?"

"I'm sorry you had to see that," he murmured.

"It's alright. You don't have to apologize to me."

"Do you want me to apologize to _him_?"

"N-No, you don't have to. Anyway, he knows he started it."

"Darn right he did."

"But you should control your temper as well."

"I know," he said, glancing into her eyes.

She paused and sighed, then looked up at the sky and said, "I wish we could get another sign. I 'm beginning to think this is gonna be another pointless journey."

"But you heard what Gelda said, that there's something wrong in Oz. We _have_ to keep going south."

"And 'find that which we seek'," she replied. "I've only ever really sought home, but I can't seem to get any closer to it."

Leo smiled at her sympathetically and gave her a tight embrace, saying, "You'll get home eventually, Dorothy, although I will miss you terribly when you go."

"I'll miss you, too."

They parted and joined Gale and Tim, who had been observing from afar. Dorothy urged the two adversaries to shake hands and let bygones be bygones. Gale's nose and lip finally stopped bleeding and he washed off his face in a nearby stream. Just then, as they all began to set off once more, Tim spotted a raven swoop down and alight on a tree in front of them. It stared at the group with its beady black eyes and cawed, causing Gale to wince. The sound of a raven or crow still irritated him even though he no longer had any fields to guard.

"Do you think it's a sign from Gelda?" Tim asked.

"Seems a little too creepy to be from her," Dorothy commented.

"Maybe it's the Jitterbug in disguise," Gale said half joking, half serious.

"Goodness, not _that_ awful thing!" Dorothy exclaimed with disgust. "Remember how we couldn't stop moving when it showed up?"

"I believe we were dancing," Leo said with a grin.

"How can you grin at a time like this?" Tim said. "It's clearly a bad omen."

"Lighten up, Tim," Leo said lightheartedly as he slapped Tim on the back.

Without warning, the raven took off in a silent swipe of his wings. The companions drew a sigh of relief, except Leo, who was never afraid to begin with. They then continued on their way.

After a while, Gale saw a small figure in the distance and said, "Look over there! What do you think that is?"

The other three strained their eyes to see a diminutive white figure slowly approach them from across the way. They walked quicker so that the figure would come into clearer view, and when they finally got near to it, they realized it was a little walking china doll. It was white with blue painted hair, blue painted eyes and mouth, as well as detailed paisley designs for its clothes, also painted in blue. The doll was the size of a small child and its limbs were stiff, so much so in fact that it could only move with much difficulty. Its large eyes stared blankly at the four people towering above it, as though it really were an inanimate doll that has been placed on a shelf in a little girl's room.

When it spoke, it whispered, "Who are you?"

Dorothy replied, "My name is Dorothy Gale, of Kansas, and this is Gale, Tim, and Leo. We're traveling to the Land of the China People. Are you a China Person?"

The doll silently nodded once.

Encouraged, Dorothy continued, "So, I suppose we're going in the right direction?"

Another silent nod.

"What's your name?" Dorothy asked.

"Top-Top," was the whispered reply.

"Top-Top, do you live over there?" Dorothy asked, pointing in the direction they were headed.

A silent nod.

"May we go there?" Tim asked.

Another nod.

"Will you go with us?" Dorothy asked hopefully.

This time Top-Top gave a slow, grave shake of the head and commenced walking in the direction she had originally been going, leaving the four companions perplexed and silent.

When Top-Top was a considerable distance away, Leo muttered, "Well, that was odd. Let's keep going. I don't see any streams here and I'm getting thirsty."

When they had walked for about two miles they found themselves on a miniscule hill looking down on many scattered white figures slowly walking about on the field below. This must be the Land of the China People.

"Finally," Leo said as he began to descend before everyone else was finished viewing the landscape.

They jogged after him until they all came upon a very tall, willowy China Person who had stretched out her arms in a gesture of welcome. She was dressed in the style of a Georgian aristocrat, but instead of being painted in blue, she was painted in a light antique pink. Her face was immobile like Top-Top's, though it was more fairly formed, with delicate features and a thin, swan-like neck. Her mate soon appeared, resembling an aristocrat like herself, but he was painted in a light orange tint. They motioned slowly and methodically to a short servant painted gray who was holding what looked like a tray of two teacups. There was real tea inside, its steam curling around the lady's willowy hand as she grasped the delicate cup and put it to her tiny lips. The gentleman did the same with his own cup. She then offered the cup to Leo, whose expression showed the utmost interest in the thirst quenching liquid. The gentleman offered his cup to Gale, who took it gladly and drank the tea in one gulp, as did Leo.

"Feel better?" asked Dorothy to the two of them.

"Much better," said Leo. "In fact, that was quite tasty…extraordinarily so."

"Yes," added Gale with a contemplative look, "It leaves one feeling…"

"Heavy," Leo ended as his eyes began to glaze over.

"Heh," Gale said. "Dorothy, is tea supposed to do that?"

Dorothy sounded slightly alarmed when she said, "No."

She glanced at Tim, who began to look suspicious.

Leo said in a dazed voice, "Um, Dorothy, I seem to be having trouble moving. It's like I'm in a knee-deep mire."

"Me too," said Gale, who looked down at his feet.

Dorothy cried out, "Gale! Your feet are turning white! And Leo – you, too!"

Everyone looked at the two men's feet, which were, in fact, slowly taking on the appearance of glazed porcelain. The egg whiteness traveled up their calves and reached their thighs, and as it progressed, beginning at their feet, what looked like painted designs started to appear on their toes and feet. It looked as if some invisible artist had painted their toenails and other lines to show muscle outlines and shadows. They could no longer move their toes and ankles, which had been fused into place like a ceramic doll's feet.

"Dorothy, what's happening?" Leo said worriedly. "Ah, I can't move my mou..."

Gale was beyond speech as Leo said his last words. The whiteness encroached upon their faces, which were fused into serene, doll-like expressions. The color of the paint eventually filled in their clothing, hair, and faces so that before Dorothy and Tim stood Gale and Leo, now indistinguishable from the other China People. The two men could only move slowly like the aristocrats, who stood still and silently as ever, viewing what had taken place with neither expectation nor surprise. They seemed to not have realized what they had done by offering the tea, almost as if that gesture was the only instinct that they were programmed to do.

Dorothy's eyes watered when she looked at Leo and Gale, who simply stared back blankly, and she tried to call to them, "Leo! Gale! Can you hear me?!"

They nodded in the manner of Top-Top.

"We should go get help, Dorothy," Tim said to her.

Another pair of nods.

Dorothy never took her eyes off her silent friends as she replied, "Where?"

"We have to go back to the Emerald City and find Ozma. It's the only way," he said, taking her hand as though to lead her away.

He met with slight resistance as she cried, "I don't want to leave them."

Rain began to lightly fall onto the parched earth from the low, gray clouds above.

"Dorothy, we'll be more help to them if we go quickly."

She pulled her hand out of his and ran over to Gale and Leo, hugging both of them though it felt like she was hugging two cold, silent statues. It was difficult for them to move their arms, so they could not return her embrace, but they could feel her nonetheless. She glanced into their blank eyes once more before saying:

"We'll come back for you."

They nodded. She and Tim then turned and began to run back towards the north, never once looking back at their two stranded companions who stood in the rain as two lifeless, careless statues in a garden of other statues.

**A Brief Interlude**

Dorothy and Tim ran through the rain as fast as they could although their way was hampered when the earth beneath them soon turned to mud with the heavy rain. They were soon drenched head to foot, finding themselves under a waterfall of torrential downpours that only seemed to get stronger. The rain was so heavy that the two companions felt that it was difficult to breathe lest they inhale the thick water that fell onto their faces with an almost vengeful force.

"Is this usual in Oz?!" Dorothy cried out to Tim, for the rain sounding against the ground was at a roar-like pitch.

"No!" he yelled back.

They no longer ran, but trudged through the mud, sullying their clothes and Dorothy her silver slippers, which now looked like brown slippers. Their path eventually had to come to a halt when they approached what used to be a small, innocuous stream that, when it was dry outside, they could have easily leapt over. Now it was a rushing river with a treacherous current and no banks to keep it in check. It could have only been crossed with a running leap by a madman.

Tim said, "We have to jump across it."

"Jump across it! Are you crazy?!" Dorothy shouted.

"We have to try!"

"Fine, you go first!"

He backed away from the edge and took a running jump, hurling himself over the water and landing with half his body on the shore and the other half almost caught up in the raging current. With much effort he dragged himself to the solid ground and, after standing up, motioned to Dorothy to follow suit. He held his arms out as though he would catch her, which was a ridiculous gesture considering how he had barely made the jump. Dorothy knew this was a bad idea and regretted backing away from the edge in preparation for her own running leap. Her slipper heels dug into the mud, making it very difficult to even walk, let alone run.

She yelled to Tim, "Here, take the slippers. I can't run in them!"

She removed them and threw them across to him. He deftly caught them and set them down near his feet as he resumed his previous stance. Dorothy took a deep breath and immediately began to run. As she flew through the air she could only imagine what her wild, terrified expression looked like to Tim, her curly hair splayed out like a head of snakes and her eyes wide with a primal fear for her life. When she came up short of the shore she cried out to Tim before she was silenced by the push of the water over her head. All she could feel was the unnatural current push and pull at her, the whirlpool take her here and there, as though the water were sentient and attempting to smash her to death against its deep walls.

It carried her swiftly down a ways, seemingly pushing her deeper and deeper. She didn't know how long she was under water, but she could feel her head become dizzy and her movements incoherent. Her eyes began to darken and the stress of the rushing water slamming into her face made her feel like it was attempting to shove all the air out of her lungs. But just then, she felt a hand in the water. It tightly grasped her wrist and she tightened her hand around its wrist. She could not let go. She felt like her grip was made of indelible iron that could never be released. This was good, for as Tim pulled her out of the swirling current, Dorothy felt an uncanny tugging at her legs and feet, like the river was consciously trying to pull her back. She cried out to Tim, who pulled with all his might to take her out of the water. With one final pull, digging his heels into the unreliable mud, he hauled her onto the shore. He collapsed and she fell onto him. The rain momentarily obscured her vision but when it cleared she could see his features contorted in a desperate, terrified worry.

He seized her shoulders and cried, "Dorothy! You're alright!"

He then lost all self control and began to weep as he tightly wrapped his arms around her. He nearly knocked her over in sheer excitement, for she was still lightheaded.

"Tim!" was all she could say. "Tim, thank you! You saved me!"

"Oh, Dorothy, I thought I'd lost you!" he cried.

After a moment she asked, "Where are the silver slippers?"

"Right here," he said as he extracted them from his back pockets.

She hurriedly put them back on her feet and tried to stand up. She wobbled slightly, moving Tim to put an arm around her to support her. They resumed their journey, albeit much more slowly.

After a couple of hours the rain finally ceased and Dorothy and Tim were back on the solid yellow road. They walked a little ways before they turned off of it to find a temporary shelter for the night, for the sky had grown dark and sundry stars peeked out from behind the parting clouds. The two companions entered a leafy dell where stood many wide-branched trees and much dry ground, eventually finding a tree with an immense trunk and broad branches and leaves that curved down to form a sort of natural roof. The ground around the trunk was dry and large enough for two people to sleep on. They started a fire, whose pleasant glow warmed their hearts as they found refuge in the heat of its embers.

They sat side by side, Tim having removed his clothes to hang them up to dry. Dorothy, on the other hand, remained in her damp clothing. After a while she found she could look at him without embarrassment at his nakedness, for she only looked at his face.

"Tim, I've been meaning to ask you something," she finally said after a long silence.

"Yes?"

"Will you…come with me when I go back to Kansas?"

She couldn't bring herself to look him in the eye for his reaction so she diverted her gaze to the fire.

He, too, viewed the flames for what seemed like an eon until he finally said, "I will go with you to the ends of the earth, Dorothy. You know that."

She looked at him then, his gray eyes aglow like shining steel as they seemed to capture the very flames into which they were gazing.

He turned to her with a serene yet earnest face and began, "Dorothy, I —"

"I love you, Tim," she said first.

"And I love you, Dorothy Gale," he said immediately after. "I love you with all my heart."

They came close together, so close that they could hear the other's quiet breaths, and Tim put a gentle hand on Dorothy's cheek as they kissed. She put her hand on his cheek also, his skin soft and smooth to her touch. After they parted Dorothy stood up. Tim remained seated leaning against the tree trunk. Dorothy took a deep breath and began to undress, carefully hanging her clothing on the lower branches so that they could dry. She closed her eyes when she removed her underwear, not facing Tim when she did. But when she stood up straight and felt the warm air of the fire rush over her cold skin, she felt very free. She had never stood outside, under a tree, naked before, and the very thought of it made her grin widely to herself. She instantly felt very confident for some reason, and it delighted her.

She turned around to face Tim, who was completely and utterly in thrall of her. She thought he looked awfully adorable with his mouth slightly open, unbeknownst to him, with his eyes locked onto her graceful form.

"Tim," she said quietly, kneeling down next to him.

He seemed to regain consciousness as from a trance when he said, "Yes?"

She said nothing, but instead kissed his lips, to which he responded with much ardor. Despite having only been human for a day and a half, he somehow knew to run his hands over her hips while easing his tongue into her mouth, causing her eyes to flutter with pleasure. He was most definitely human and not made of tin, for his warm, quick breaths on her neck mingled with insistent kisses proved that. Her white breasts rose and fell as he kneeled in front of her and beckoned her towards him. His member was already at attention, having grown significantly since Dorothy last glanced at it, causing her to bite her lip. Then, in one deft movement, Tim had her in his arms and let one hand slide down between her lovely legs.

"Oh!" she cried as she shut her eyes in ecstasy.

He began to rub vigorously, yet again showing that he somehow knew exactly what to do, although Dorothy did not care to ponder that mystery at the moment. She whimpered and her body began to shake, but Tim removed his hand before anything could come of it. He looked into her eyes and she could see that they were now ablaze, desirous of only her. He furrowed his brow and his breath seemed to cease as he guided his member into her. It slid in so soundly that he groaned deeply with satisfaction and the two lovers seemed to pause for the longest time, drinking in the moment of oneness without hearing the wood crackle, the breeze blow through the treetops, or the distant night owl fly into the darkness above. Then Dorothy began to move her hips up and down.

Low whispers of, "Ah!" strayed from both their lips as Tim's hips met hers with every thrust, burying him deep within her. She adored the feeling like an electric charge shot through her every time he pushed up against her, into her, that uncanny feeling of being full. She felt exhilarated, gleefully frantic, like she wanted to either cry out, thrust her tongue down his throat, or slap him across the face. She was almost surprised at this sudden flurry of uncontrolled thoughts. She felt like a caged animal had been let go inside her heart and that she had unlocked a person deep down that she didn't even know existed. She wanted to tease him, slap him, watch his innocent eyes entreat her to know what he did wrong, and then still his fears by kissing and licking him on that sensitive spot on his neck, thus causing him to moan in that deep, musical voice of his. Dorothy derived deep satisfaction knowing that she was the cause of all his pleasure, that he desired her and no other.

Their movements quickened, becoming more desperate, more concentrated. Tim's brows furrowed as though he were in pain, but his hand continued to rub her furiously. He clenched his teeth and, as Dorothy could feel his warm stream shoot out inside her, she felt a grand spasm permeate her entire body, causing her to see stars.

She cried, "Oh, Tinman!"

They fell back onto the ground, chests heaving with every deep breath, and two contented grins as they looked at each other. Tim nimbly gathered Dorothy in his arms and embraced her as if he were her protective shell. They both soon fell asleep in a stupor of glorious, all-encompassing exhaustion.

The early morning light began to creep into the little bower in which Dorothy and her lover rested. She was the first to awaken, and it gave her immense satisfaction to feel his body against hers and to touch the fingers of his large hand, which rested contentedly on her belly. She stirred but did not wake him, so she observed his face: the thick, glossy hair atop his handsome head, his dark, expressive brows, his pale skin, soft lips, graceful nose, and his high cheekbones that gave him a dignified, regal air. His body was lean and taut. His chest was broad as were his shoulders, and his slender form belied supple strength and power. As she let her eyes wander over him, she didn't notice Tim's gray irises peer through his barely open crescent eyes.

He said, "Why look when you can touch?"

Dorothy started and said quickly, "Tim! You're awake."

Sensing her embarrassment at being caught looking at his naked form, Tim laughed good-naturedly and said, "I like it when you look at me."

Dorothy blushed and blinked at him with her big brown eyes. Tim found that incredibly arousing because he knew that she wanted him and only him – Dorothy, the smartest, most beautiful and amazing person he had ever met desired him, a simple woodsman, humble and inconspicuous.

He extended a hand to her cheek and caressed it lightly, saying, "Dorothy, if only you knew how much I love you, how much I care for you, then I wouldn't have to struggle with paltry words that can't even come close to expressing how I feel."

"But you already have, Tim: through your actions, through every look, every expression I've ever seen come across your handsome face."

It was his turn to blush.

He replied in a subdued tone, "I don't deserve you. I'm lucky you even…chose me."

His voice was almost at a whisper, as though he were reluctant to say what was on his mind.

She asked, "What do you mean?"

"You could have chosen a dazzling intellect or fierce bravery and strength, and yet…you chose a simple heart."

"Brains are nice, and so is strength, but if there is no heart, then they mean nothing."

He briefly searched her eyes for a glint of facetiousness. There was none, and he kissed her sweet lips, touching his nose to hers.

Dorothy trailed a delicate finger over Tim's collarbone and he sheepishly said, "You must have many admirers back in Kansas."

"Why do you say that?"

"Isn't it obvious?"

She gave him a confused look and he said honestly, "Because you're beautiful."

She couldn't hold his gaze when he said that, for it almost felt like he was mocking her. She of course knew he was in earnest, but Dorothy was not the kind of girl who ever had any boy back home say that to her, therefore she was not quite sure what to do with that compliment. It gave her pause and made her very reluctant to speak, let alone acknowledge its accurateness, for she had always felt that she was plain, not pretty.

At last she spoke, "That's kind of you, but it's not true. I know I'm plain."

He was taken aback and exclaimed, "Plain! Who told you that?"

She turned from him and stared at the grooves and curves of the bark on the trunk, unwilling to meet his eyes when she said, "I've never had any admirers, Tim. Back home I'm just another face in the crowd."

He got close and wrapped a strong, loving arm around her, saying into her ear, "Not to me."

Dorothy knew that those three words would need some getting used to, but she decided to believe him and accept his sincere praises as the truth. She still felt that she was rather plain, but since Tim, an artless, honest man who was pure of heart and kind in words told her she was something more, then perhaps she would someday come to agree with his opinion. However, for the time being she was content to accept his love and return it deeply and truly – and what better object for her affection than a quiet heart, not to mention that fact that he was rather good looking.

Tim rolled over and got up to check if his clothes were dry, so Dorothy did the same. Luckily, the heat from the now extinguished fire did its duty, and as they began to put their clothes back on, Tim got a sly smile on his face when he said over his shoulder:

"You called me Tinman last night."

Dorothy's eyes widened and she blushed, replying, "I did? Oh, I'm sorry!"

"No! Don't be sorry. I liked it."

He turned around and grinned at her, and after she pulled her sweater over her head she said, "You know, out of all the clothes you guys received, I've found yours to be the most…um, distracting."

She smiled mischievously as he walked towards her with a quizzical expression on his face.

She clarified and said, "Well, just look at your pants – they're skin-tight!"

He looked down and shrugged his shoulders, replying, "They're also terribly restrictive. Now you know why I was so eager to get out of them."

The last words were uttered in a low, almost growl-like voice as he whispered them into Dorothy's ear. He kissed her neck and her eyes fluttered, a rosiness appearing in her cheeks and nose as Tim slid his hands under her sweater and around her waist.

He said to her, "I truly am lucky that you chose me, Dorothy, for you are like a winsome dream from which I hope to never awaken."

**The Emerald City**

It was well into the morning when Dorothy and Tim made their way out of the hollow. The sun had already washed the world with its colors and Oz was alive after the rain of yesterday. The two lovers walked hand in hand down the yellow bricked road, so different from how they left it the evening before, and perhaps not quite fully aware of how changed they really were.

"You know, Tim," Dorothy began, "I think you'll like Kansas. Everyone is so good to each other there that I think you'll fit right in. We can go anywhere we want in the country. Oh! The place is so big and we'll have so much time to spend. Of course, I have to finish high school first. Summer's almost over and I just have one more year to go."

"I'm looking forward to it immensely," was his contented response. "But do you really think they'll like me?"

"Of course they will! How could they not?"

"I'll be a stranger."

"Any friend of mine is a friend of theirs," she said sincerely.

He smiled thoughtfully at her and kissed her lips, saying, "I love you Dorothy."

Before she could reply, they heard a clear, cutting voice permeate the air:

"Isn't this sweet?" said the voice.

They turned towards where the voice had come from and noticed they were back at the crossroads, and there atop the four-way sign was perched Gelda.

Dorothy exclaimed, "Oh! Gelda! We didn't see you come."

"Haha," was the airy laugh in reply, "Of course you didn't. I can appear when I want to – with or without the bubble. But I must say, there are two less of you. Tell me: where are your two companions?"

"They're been turned into China People," Dorothy said sadly. "We thought the best way to save them would be to go back to the Emerald City and ask Ozma for help."

"Oh, that would be a good plan," said Gelda, putting her hand under her chin as though in deep contemplation, "Except, well, I hate to tell you this, but Ozma's gone."

"Gone?!" blurted out Tim. "What do you mean gone?!"

"I mean that she is no longer in the Emerald City," Gelda replied calmly. "No one knows where she is."

Before Dorothy could answer, Tim pulled her aside and whispered almost inaudibly, "Dorothy, don't you remember Ozma telling us that she would never leave the Emerald City until you returned the silver slippers to her?"

"Yes, but Gelda wouldn't lie to us."

Not wholly convinced, Tim hesitantly replied, "I guess not."

They turned towards Gelda again and she smiled benevolently at them.

"I see you two whispering and it is quite obvious that you've fallen in love. Little lovers' secrets are always whispered."

In one fluid movement she descended to the ground as light as a feather, her great emerald gown rippling with every movement. Dorothy had blushed at the comment but Tim remained stoic, not moving an inch, as though he had rusted still once more. Gelda walked slowly towards them and spoke:

"I could get her back if only I had her silver slippers. They would enable me to see farther than I presently can. Won't you lend them to me, Dorothy, just for a moment?"

"A-All right," Dorothy said in a hollow voice, not wishing to insult Gelda.

She slowly lifted one foot and removed the left slipper, then the right, her movements sluggish like that of a somnambulist. Then, as she dreamily extended the shoes to Gelda, she looked into the Witch's bright green eyes. She paused. Up close they seemed to noticeably change colors: red, magenta, violet, yellow, blue, black, and green again. Strange, but those colors looked just like the crystal ball of—

"The Wicked Witch of the West!" Dorothy said breathlessly.

Gelda's features suddenly darkened and her eyes became as two coals in a fire. Dorothy shoved her shoes into Tim's chest and he grabbed them and held them tight. In a lightning movement she pushed Gelda to the ground. As Dorothy and Tim frantically got Dorothy's feet back into the slippers, Gelda's voice became piercing and unnaturally loud.

"How dare you!" she bellowed as she rose from the ground in a green flash of light, her feet soon no longer making contact with the road. "You shall die, Dorothy Gale!"

She raised her hands like she was about to throw something at Dorothy. This evoked a visceral reaction in Tim as he took Dorothy in his arms and turned his back to Gelda like a shield. The moment Gelda threw her hands forward, a ball of green flame blasted forth. In a split second, without thinking, Dorothy clicked her heels together and sputtered:

"There's no place like the Emerald City!"

Then all was black.

When Dorothy came to, she found herself lying on a smooth, cold floor of polished black stone that reflected luminous emerald walls that converged into a lofty vaulted ceiling. Every small sound of her movements was echoed in that vast hall that clearly belonged to the Emerald City. But it was strange; not another person was there except—

"Tim!" she cried as she turned to him and scrambled to his side. "Tim, are you alright?"

He moaned in agony as he sat up. His face contorted and it seemed like every movement he made caused him excruciating pain.

"Dorothy," was all he could say before a small stream of blood flowed out of one corner of his mouth, staining his extremely pale skin.

His brow was beaded with sweat and furrowed in a painful grimace. He gasped and seemed to have trouble breathing. Then he tried to speak.

"Dorothy, are y-you a-alright?" he said in jagged breaths.

"Of course I am, Tim, but you're hurt! You're bleeding!"

"I th-think I'm d-dying, Dorothy."

"What?! No! You can't be! I-I'll go for help. Just lie back down."

She practically tore her sweater off to fashion it into a pillow. Then she gently helped him lie back down and rest his head on it. His staggered, shallow breaths made surprisingly little noise in that great, lonely chamber, and when he coughed, flecks of blood stained his clothes like someone dying from consumption. Dorothy stifled a cry and tried to speak calmly, her voice involuntarily wavering as she did so.

"Tim, can you hear me?" she asked as the tears began to fall down her cheeks.

He strained to smile as he said, "I can hear you, but everything's blurry."

"No!" she cried, "No, someone will come – Glinda, Ozma – _someone_ will come! Tim!"

He said, "Dorothy, I…I love…you…"

His pale moon face then relaxed and his once bright eyes shut slowly for the last time. Dorothy didn't know what else to do. She cried out in such a sorrowful wail that even a stone would have been moved to grief.

She wept into his chest and then raggedly whispered in his ear, "I love you, Tinman."

But it was deaf to her, and for that, she continued weeping for a long time until it seemed like she had no more tears to give.

When she finally lifted her head, her face was drawn and haggard, Tim's shirt now drenched with her tears. Strands of hair hung over her face, but she didn't care enough to wipe them away. She was numb to everything. Trancelike, she pulled herself up from the floor and began to walk with a step that was no longer light, but sunken in utter grief. Not bearing to even look back at Tim's body, she instead walked through two great, ponderous doors in the far wall of the hall, which opened to a long, illuminated gallery down which she began to wander. It was about halfway through the hall that, through her stupor, Dorothy realized that she had begun to tread a more certain pace, her feet having somehow taken the lead from a force that did not come from within her, but seemingly from without. She even thought she felt the silver slippers tug her towards the two doors at the end of corridor, drawing her towards something beyond it. And when she passed through them, she entered a silvery green throne room – not too small though not too imposing.

The center contained an ornate emerald throne encrusted with silver, sapphires, beryl, and aquamarine, and on it sat Ozma, Empress of all Oz, the ever-youthful and just as lovely, bright, and awe-inspiring as Dorothy knew her. However, something was strange about her. She did not acknowledge Dorothy as she entered, and it immediately became very clear that she wasn't moving at all, instead sitting atop her throne like a statue of lifeless wax. Her eyes were open, but they were blank like a doll's, and even her short golden curls lacked their usual luster.

Dorothy felt the urge of the silver slippers take her up the steps to the throne and, as she came closer, she noticed Ozma wore no shoes, her little pink toes simply sticking out from underneath the hem of her gown.

Dorothy said, "Ozma! Can you hear me? It's me: Dorothy Gale."

Silence.

She tried again, "Ozma, wake up! Wake up! Don't you recognize me? Oh, say something!"

Overcome, Dorothy fell to her knees and began to feebly tug at Ozma's dress, desperately trying to get a reaction from the stone-like empress. But nothing came of it. She almost started to cry anew, except that something odd happened. She felt a quick pull at her feet and, when she looked down at them, the silver slippers were no longer there! She immediately glanced at Ozma's feet and, amazingly, the slippers were peeking out from under her dress where her bare toes once did a moment ago. Determined, they had finally found their mistress. As Dorothy's eyes trailed up Ozma's gown and glanced at her porcelain hands, they had begun to move! Each finger wiggled of its own accord, and once Dorothy looked up at Ozma's face, she saw that the brightness had come again to the empress's joyful eyes.

A huge smile stole across Ozma's tiny pink lips and her eyes glittered when she said, "Dorothy, you brought back my slippers!"

Despite herself, Dorothy burst into tears and embraced Ozma, whose arms were wide open to receive her.

"Oh, Ozma, it's terrible," cried Dorothy.

"Why? What happened?"

"Tim's dead."

"Who's Tim?"

"The Tinman. And Lion and Scarecrow have been turned into China People."

"What?" Ozma said astounded. "They didn't drink the tea, did they?"

"Yes they did. Why? Is that bad?"

"Of course! You saw that it turns all who drink it into fine bone china. But why were you all down there in the first place?"

"We went to the crossroads like you said, and then we met Gelda."

"Gelda?!"

"Yes, the Good Witch of the South."

"Dorothy, no one has seen Gelda for six hundred years."

A lump formed in Dorothy's throat. If only she had known before just a little while ago.

Ozma continued, "This is beginning to make sense. I merely sent you all to the crossroads to decide what your fates would be. My sign didn't come because after you all left, I suddenly became frozen right here on my throne, able to hear and see everything around me but unable to move and respond. I saw a pale woman with raven black hair and bright green eyes, but when she looked into my own eyes, she laughed cruelly. I then knew it was the soul of the Wicked Witch of the West come to seek revenge for t destruction of her body. She was after my silver slippers, knowing that my power would be greatly reduced without them. She's still at large, it seems."

"She killed Tim at the crossroads. The slippers brought us back here."

"Where is he now?" Ozma said quietly.

Dorothy led Ozma back down the gallery and through the double doors to the vast hall. There lied Tim, cold and silent. Dorothy's tears poured forth anew and she kneeled next to her fallen love, causing a look of sadness to pass over Ozma's sweet face. Dorothy felt her soft hand touch her shoulder and the soothing words envelop her.

"Oh, Dorothy, I know it's hard, but please don't cry. The Wicked Witch has killed so many others just like him, destroying many lives that were young and strong. But you must know that he's still out there. He would want you to fight – fight with all your heart. And I want you to remember to have hope and take courage, lest your heart break completely. I am about to leave you for awhile because now I have the power to spirit away to the south and bring back your friends who can be saved. Goodbye and be wary."

In an effulgence of pale green light she was gone, leaving Dorothy alone once again with her cold, cold Tim. She tried to be positive – at least he was no longer in pain. But she wished for nothing more than to trade places with him, for it was all her fault. His death was her fault. Oh, _why_ had she ever come to Oz?!

_Caw! Caw!_ A raven suddenly appeared hopping across the floor a few feet away from Dorothy and Tim. It stopped and looked at her, its unnerving, beady eyes sending a chill through Dorothy's heart. She scowled at it and shivered slightly before it took off into the air and flew up towards the ceiling, eventually disappearing in the blink of an eye.

The second it dematerialized, a searing green burst of light nearly blinded Dorothy before she was able to focus her eyes on Gelda, or rather, the Wicked Witch of the West standing before her. The cruelty in her face no longer hidden but displayed with a vulgar pride, the Wicked Witch smirked with satisfaction at having caught up to her victims.

Her hard, imperious voice said, "You know, Dorothy, I rather like having this body. It's so much more comely than the old green-skinned one, don't you think? Or…hm, you could say it's like a winsome dream from which all who see me hope to never awaken. Isn't that right? He was quite a poet."

"You monster," Dorothy gasped.

"Haha! No, I'm a _witch_, not a monster. But hoho, who is calling whom names? You may have killed my sister but you failed to kill me. You're a foul little murderess, Dorothy Gale of Kansas. I merely paid you back for the crime you've committed."

"I didn't even kill your sister!" cried Dorothy. "My home accidentally fell on her and I certainly never meant to kill you. How was I supposed to know you'd melt in water?"

"Everyone knows that!" spat the Witch. "You never throw water at a witch. Try it with your beloved Glinda and she'll steam up faster than a Turkish bath in midwinter."

"Glinda!" Dorothy said to herself, suddenly reminded of the Good Witch. "What have you done with Glinda?!"

"Ha! I've done nothing with her. The truth is, Dorothy, that she's gone and could not care less about you. You're likelier to find help from that false Wizard than from the Witch of the North."

"You're lying!"

"Am I? Tell me, when was she ever of real service to you? I mean _truly_ of service. She helped Ozma give you the silver slippers, which was silly because they knew that would make you my main target of hatred and, hehe, violence. Glinda knew I would relentlessly hunt you in my quest for the slippers, yet she did nothing to assist you in your perilous journey through Oz. She didn't even give you a word of encouragement, and then when you thought it was all over, after she knew that all you ever really wanted was to go home, she finally told you that you could have done so since the very beginning. She waited to tell you that after you risked your life and those of your friends to get to the Emerald City and subjected yourselves to the whims of that bumbling, crackpot Wizard. And you think she's your friend?"

"She saved us from your poppies. She watched over us because she knew the dangers we faced and whatever she did or said, it was with a purpose. She serves Ozma, and I will trust any servant of the Empress of Oz. You're dead, Witch of the West, and no one wants you anymore. So just go away."

The Witch's eyes seared and she screamed, "How dare you!"

**Rescue**

Just as the Wicked Witch of the West was about to do to Dorothy what she did to Tim, a clear, airy voice rang out in a marvelous echo, "Lay one hand on that girl and you'll have me to deal with!"

"Glinda!" Dorothy cried out joyously.

The Witch of the West took an involuntary step back and glared at the pink, starry figure standing across from her.

Glinda said in her bird-like voice, "Dorothy, get back. Things are going to get a little messy in here."

Dorothy did as she was told and dragged Tim's body to the most concealed corner of the hall.

Glinda looked at Dorothy's charge with a frown and turned to the Witch of the West, saying, "Your handiwork, I presume?"

"Who else?" was the sneering reply. "Would you like to be the next, dear Glinda?"

"Oh, pish posh! You have no power over me."

"Want a bet?"

The Wicked Witch of the West conjured her ball of green flame and hurled it at Glinda's head with a speed that dazzled Dorothy's perceptions. Glinda, without missing a beat, merely waved her wand, which sent the other Witch flying up towards the ceiling, only to crash to the ground. The Wicked Witch, from her low-lying position on the cold stone floor, sent a small flame towards the hem of Glinda's voluminous dress, which caught fire instantaneously.

"Oh!" Glinda said. "You little witch! I'll teach you to set fire to things."

She then sent a bright pink flame to her adversary's mass of hair, which caught fire just as easily as Glinda's skirt had. For a moment Dorothy couldn't tell if either of the Witches minded at all that they were beginning to become engulfed in flames. However, neither one seemed to get burned or singed on the skin, so Dorothy assumed it must have been some bit of magic that kept them aflame but unharmed. Glinda and the Witch of the West battled for what seemed like ages. Every attack was met with a serious counter-attack, and Glinda's wand waved furiously as she attempted to debilitate the Wicked Witch, however, the latter was playing to kill, with every flame aiming for either the heart or the head.

The Wicked Witch was suddenly sent up flying once more, but instead of crashing back down, she seemed to levitate to a halt in midair. She then appeared to have taken control of the magic, because she turned towards Glinda of her own accord and shot down from the vaulted ceiling towards her opponent like a demonic fighter plane about to bomb its target. Glinda resisted with a wave of her wand that sent an invisible shield of protection around her person, completely disarming the concentrated assault of the Witch of the West. The two enemies seemed to be evenly matched, causing the Wicked Witch to shriek with rage like a banshee. But just then, out of the corner of her eye she espied Dorothy, and with her attention turned she began to move towards that innocent girl like a wolf stalking its prey. Glinda intercepted and planted her feet firmly in the Wicked Witch's path. She raised her wand.

"Come near her, Wicked Witch of the West, and I assure you, you won't like the outcome," Glinda said in a tone of voice Dorothy had never heard her use before.

"Out of my way Glinda."

"Alright. I warned you."

With that, Glinda swiftly hit the Witch over the head with her wand. This struck Dorothy as a bit odd and anticlimactic, if not downright absurd. A pause. Nothing happened.

The Wicked Witch began to cackle, "Is that it?! Hahaha!"

"No," was Glinda's simple reply.

At first that remark seemed ill-timed, until Dorothy distinctly hear a sharp cracking noise, like china breaking. The Witch of the West unexpectedly fell to the ground, but the noise continued until it grew in volume and crashed forth like a thousand plates falling to the floor. Then there was coughing and gasping. It was coming from the Wicked Witch, who wore an expression that looked like she had just fallen out of a tornado.

She spoke with a voice that was meek and frightened, "W-Where am I? Who are you?"

It clearly was no longer the Witch who spoke, but rather the rightful owner of the body.

Glinda helped the woman up and in a light, cherub laugh said, "It's alright now. The spirit of the Wicked Witch of the West was holding your body hostage. I merely banished her, so don't be afraid. You're fine now. Return to your apartments and spread the word to everyone that the Wicked Witch of the West is gone for good."

The woman nodded slowly, still clearly confused, and shuffled out of the hall.

Glinda turned to Dorothy and, before the latter could ask any questions, she said, "You probably noticed I was fighting to disarm, not to kill. It was so I could hit her over the head without her moving around too much, but luckily I didn't even have to do that. Haha! Don't worry about that woman. She'll be fine."

"Glinda, where were you all this time?" was what Dorothy really wanted to ask.

The Good Witch sat down across from Dorothy and said, "Dorothy, that Wicked Witch banished me so far away you wouldn't believe it. I got back in the nick of time to the Emerald City, only to find its denizens frozen in place. I ran first to Ozma's throne room and, when I saw she wasn't there, I began to lose hope. But then I heard the voices in here and…oh, Dorothy, I'm sorry."

"I'm sorry, too. Where did you banish the Wicked Witch's spirit?"

"To the same place her sister went: Nebraska. She haunts a gas station now, so she won't be troubling us any time soon."

"Oh, I see," Dorothy said absentmindedly.

"Dorothy, where is Ozma now? Do you know?"

"In the Land of the China People where she's getting Leo and G— I mean, Lion and Scarecrow."

"I see."

Glinda got up and surveyed her dress. With a simple wave of her wand she renewed the burnt edges as though it were nothing. When she looked up, her face was illuminated by a pale green flash accompanied by a pop that shot through the room. It was Ozma returned from the Land of the China People, and with her were Dorothy's friends, both restored to their normal selves. Glinda bowed to Ozma while the two men rushed to Dorothy and hugged her, kissing her profusely as though they hadn't seen her in ages.

Gale said, "Dorothy, we missed you!"

But a dark look shadowed his eyes when he glanced Tim's lifeless body on the floor. He looked back at her and she didn't say a word, though her eyes told him everything. His eyes became red and he turned away from her, shielding them with his hand, as Leo took Dorothy into his arms. Her sobs were muffled in his chest.

After only a little while people began to file through the hall and proceed to the throne room. The citizens of the Emerald City had awakened from their frozen state and decided to find out if Ozma and Glinda were truly back. Special people had been sent to take Tim's body away to clean it and dress it, leaving Dorothy, Gale, and Leo alone in the now silent hall. The now three companions could think of nothing else to do but sit against the wall and talk.

Dorothy had finally dried her eyes and, leaning against Leo like an armchair, she decided to tell them all that had transpired. She omitted the details of the night under the tree, but the two men were savvy enough to gather that Tim was more to her than just a friend. Leo lovingly gave her arm a squeeze and clasped her hands in his own.

He said, "You know, I've been thinking and I think I'm gonna ask Ozma to change me back into a lion."

"Really?" Gale asked, surprised.

"Why?" Dorothy cried. "Don't you like being a human?"

"I did, initially, but I think the novelty has worn off. I've been thinking about it for a while, but I just miss running through the forest. I miss my tail, my roar, and especially my claws."

"I'll still be able to see you, won't I?" she asked.

"Of course! I'll be king of the forest, but that doesn't mean we can't still be friends."

"Good," Dorothy said, cheered up a bit. "Gale, do you have any announcements?"

Gale said, "About wanting to become a straw man again? Ha! No chance. I'm happy as I am."

"What will you do? Leo's gonna become the King of the Forest. How will you keep yourself busy?"

"I think I'll work for Ozma. Maybe she'll make me a real Wizard and train me in magic."

A pause.

Gale then asked, "Dorothy, are you gonna go back to Kansas?"

Simple though this question was, she couldn't answer it immediately. But of course she would go back to Kansas. Aunt Em and Uncle Henry would wonder where she had gone off to and be terribly worried, not to mention she still had to finish high school. She had a life there – a whole lifetime ahead of her, in fact. After graduation she had planned to move to the West Coast and go to college in Seattle. She wanted to meet new people and see new places, and yet…she would be leaving her heart in Oz.

Her answer: "I guess I will, eventually."

The next day Dorothy was shown into a small room where she found Tim laid out on a green cloth-covered table amidst many white flowers. The scent of jasmine permeated the air. Tim was dressed in well-fitted clothing: a moss green tunic and loose-fitting trousers, and he even wore a pair of dark leather boots, of which he sadly could not enjoy ownership.

When Dorothy approached him, she marveled at how serene he looked, as though in a deep sleep. His lustrous hair was smoothed down and spread neatly on the pillow, and his face was of a pleasant complexion, though pale as usual. Dorothy bent down and lightly kissed his cold, soft lips as two tears fell from her cheeks to his. She then knelt down beside him and rested her head on this chest, burying her face in her arms as she silently mourned him. She stayed there for what seemed like days, though but a few seconds only had passed.

And then, a queer thing happened. Tim's eyes fluttered momentarily and then opened. He had been dead all night, his body lying in state cold, unfeeling, never to move again, yet his eyes were open, blinking in adjustment to the light inside the room. His mind began to race – all he remembered was being with Dorothy on the ground and then darkness overcame his vision, but that was all. He had no other memories of abandoning the land of the living. Once his vision was sufficiently regained, he felt a weight on his chest and, looking down, saw his most beloved, Dorothy, resting on him as though asleep.

Thinking she was truly sleeping, he said, "I love you," assuming she couldn't hear.

Well, she most certainly could hear, and at those words her head shot up and she found herself looking into Tim's keen gray eyes, his kind smile brightening his newly flushed face.

All she said was, "Tim!"

And she deftly shot up onto the bed on which he lied, straddled his legs, and took him in her arms, grasping him tightly, digging her fingers into his back as though she were afraid of losing him once more. She bent her head down to kiss him, but it was so desperate, so passionate that he fell back down onto the pillow, grinning despite himself at her barrage of kisses. He extended his large, slender hands and ran his long fingers through Dorothy's hair until he slid them down her sides and rested them on her hips. She finally parted her face from his, which gave him a chance to speak.

"Dorothy, what happened?" he asked.

This gave her sudden pause, and she sat up, looking down at him earnestly but with a serious expression mixed with surprise at his not knowing.

She said gravely, "Tim, don't you remember?"

He gave her a questioning look and she finally said, "You died."

He put his hand on his chest, feeling his heart beating soundly, and kept it there for some time, as if to connect to his warm body to make sure he was not dreaming. He then glanced at his surroundings and, noticing all the flowers, furrowed his brows and looked back at Dorothy.

Sensing his distress, her dark eyes lit up and she said, "But you're alive. Oh! You're very much alive!"

She got off the table and Tim sat up, swinging his legs over the side, though he did not stand. He put a hand under his chin like he was in deep thought, clearly pondering the implications of what his death meant.

He looked into Dorothy's eyes and said, "So I was dead…did you cry?"

"Oh, yes, Tim. My heart broke in two. I thought I had lost you forever."

"I'm sorry you had to grieve me so terribly. It pains me to know I caused you sorrow."

"Don't say that – you're alive now, so it doesn't matter. We're together."

He smiled weakly, still troubled by all that had happened, but he pulled himself together and took her hands in his, rising to his feet as he did so. He felt drained though he did not faint. Dorothy came to his side and put one arm around his waist as he rested an arm on her shoulders. They took steps around the room in order to get him re-accustomed to walking, and as they did so Dorothy regaled him with the battle of the two Witches.

This brought cheer to his sad face as he asked, "So the Wicked Witch is gone?"

"Yep, she's gone to a place like a void in the earth, never to escape."

"Heh, good, because I really do hate her for trying to kill you."

"Don't you hate her for killing you, though?"

"It's you I care about. As far as I'm concerned I don't care for myself if it's a question of harm coming to you."

Deeply touched by his words, Dorothy kissed his neck and lovingly nuzzled it. Just then, Gale and Leo came through the door, talking loudly and rather irreverently, but the moment Gale saw Tim walking about, he shrieked:

"Aahh! Living dead!" and jumped into Leo's arms.

"Idiot," Leo grumbled as he dropped Gale back down. "He's not dead."

Leo then strode over to Tim and gave him such a tight hug that he lifted the other man off the ground.

"Tim! You're alive! But how did this happen?" Gale exclaimed.

Tim turned to Dorothy who said, "All I did was kiss him."

Tim said, "It's good to see you two. How did you manage to get out of the Land of the China People?"

Gale replied, "Ozma found us and revived us. I tell you one thing, though – I'm never drinking tea again."

Dorothy cried, "I'm so glad we're back together! I've missed you all so much you don't have any idea!"

**Goodbye, Hello**

Later that day, the four companions appeared next to Ozma and Glinda before the whole of the Emerald City, everyone having come to give thanks and blessings for the final banishment of the Wicked Witch of the West. Ozma turned Leo back into a lion, though he kept his name, and crowned him Leo, King of the Forest. She knighted Gale and gave him sovereignty over the East and West as a Wizard of sorts. She also declared that she would begin training him in the art of magic, to which he thanked her by kissing her hand, causing her to blush slightly.

As for Dorothy and Tim, Ozma quietly said to them, "Now is the time for you to go. Take the hand of the one you love best and repeat after me: 'There's no place like home'."

"There's no place like home," said the lovers. "There's no place like home. There's no place like home. There's no place like home…"

Dorothy woke up in a cold sweat. She looked around, disoriented, not quite realizing that the pink boom box, Pearl Jam poster, and large bay window draped in green curtains meant that she was in her own bedroom in Kansas. She sat up from her bed and felt a warm hand on her forehead gently push her back down.

A gentle voice said, "Well, I think your fever's broken. Now you have to rest."

It was Aunt Em.

Dorothy gave her a confused look to which Aunt Em replied, "You've been in and out of consciousness for a day and a half. Now you need to rest to regain your strength. Lucky for you there's a holiday tomorrow, so you won't miss any class."

Dorothy mumbled, "How did I get back here?"

"Hm? Oh, you must have dreamt quite a dream. You were tossing and turning, murmuring, and you wouldn't stop saying the name Tim. Anyway, I'll go get you some tea."

Dorothy gave her aunt a sharp look and Aunt Em said, "It's only chamomile. It'll help you rest."

After Aunt Em left, Dorothy felt a curious feeling of wistful emptiness. The rest of the day she went over and over in her mind the events in Oz, and she was incredibly reluctant to disbelieve that they were all real, that everyone was real. But what of Tim? She sighed and regretted ever having dreamt of any true love, for that was suddenly so impossible to her that she couldn't help but wonder how she would be able to concentrate in school on Tuesday.

The hallway was crowded after the bell rang and Dorothy wandered past the people who may as well have not been there. For though she walked the much tread tiles, her mind still roamed the far-off roads of Oz. She was so distracted, in fact, that she didn't see that she was about to run into a fellow student. Bam! Too late. She and he dropped their books to the floor but before she could bend down to collect hers and apologize, he had already grabbed them and handed hers back.

"I-I'm sorry," he said. "Here's your book."

"I'm sorry," Dorothy said.

They locked eyes momentarily and Dorothy noticed that his were rather bright and glistened under the fluorescent lights in the hallway. He was almost a head taller than she was, and his tousled hair was raven black and hung to his shoulders. He wore a dark flannel long sleeve shirt, jeans ripped at the knees, and scuffed Doc Martins. His smile was open and sincere, his crescent eyes almost disappearing as he grinned. In fact, he had a rather kind face, which was disarming considering how Dorothy thought he would be irritated at her clumsiness.

He handed Dorothy her books and said, "Sorry about that. I'm kind of a klutz. Er, hi, my name's Nick. Nick Liu."

"Leo?" Dorothy thought she heard wrong.

"Yeah, it's spelled L-i-u, but that's pretty much how you say it. I'm sorry, I didn't get your name?"

"Dorothy Gale."

"It's nice to meet you, Dorothy," he said, blushing despite himself.

Dorothy asked, "You're not from around here, are you? I've seen you around campus, but it's funny I've never met you before."

"Yeah, we're in biology together. I tend to keep to myself mostly. I'm originally from Seattle. My parents moved here for work, but after graduation I'm gonna move back and go to college there."

Dorothy's eyes lit up, "Hey, that's where I want to go to school, too! I've never been to the West Coast, but I'm excited for a change."

A silent pause. Dorothy's eyes then caught something shining on his chest. It looked like a small silver heart. Noticing she was looking at his necklace, Nick touched it and said:

"Do you like it? It's made out of a hammered-out tin can lid. I like making things like that, you know, anything where I can use my hands."

"It's beautiful," was all she could say in a dazed voice.

"W-Would you like to have it?" he asked quietly, glancing at her to read her reaction.

"Oh no! It's yours. I couldn't."

"It's alright," he said as he unclasped it and held it out for her to take. "Take it."

He dropped it into her extended hand and she grasped it tightly, and then proceeded to put it around her own neck. The bell rang, causing the two students to go their separate ways.

As though remembering something he had forgotten, Nick turned around and said over the noise of the passersby, "Wait, Dorothy!"

She turned and faced him.

He said, "Are you doing anything after school?"

She shook her head, which caused his face to light up as he said, "Do you wanna go get some coffee?"

Dumbstruck, she grinned widely and nodded. He smiled once more and waved, and the two went to their last classes of the day, all the while Dorothy holding the tin heart in her hand and smiling to herself.

26


End file.
